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What is that yellow light on the front plate? I assume a turn signal? I don't see your switches. I hope you take that keychain off before you ride, that looks dangerous.

I can't believe you checked your own valves, you've got skills. That is what we need a video of. I'm chicken.

Happy Birthday! I hope the surf was good.

Yeah thats my turn signal, I got 2 of em. Plus theres 2 more just like em on the rear mudflap. 5 bucks a pop and easily found at your local automotive parts chain store.

I decided to use 16amp mini rocker switches to keep things looking super sano for that factory touch. I now have my long awaited blackout switch which is the red one thats gonna usually be left on, and I also have the manual fan over-ride switch that is wired to work wether the radiator thermocouple is working or not. So the fan override switch is actually redundant to the stock switch. I also cut off the connectors to the thermocouple and soldered the wires directly to it. F-it Everything is soldered and shrinkwrapped except for the few quick release connectors that I designed into the circuits..

Yeah that's Valentina's keychain. I know it's whack, but it's been with us since day 1 and it's all we got.

I was really trying to shoot video while I was wrenching, but it was much harder than I thought. I was basically researching and turning wrenches at the same time and then adding a gopro to the mix that kept needing to be charged was a little overwhelming. So I just decided F-it, and got to work. I was trying to get through it quickly and thoroughly. And I did, but it still took me most of the last 2-3 days. At least I didnt end up with any left over parts. I almost did though.

This is the first time in my life that I've ever tried filming my lifes activities, and it's much more challenging than I had previously thought. And then add in the editing and exporting and dude it can really take a while. But in spite of all this, I still feel that I am pretty lucky, because I can wrench on my bike right next to my computer, and also in a nice a/c'd room. and still take breaks to jamm out on some guitar. whilst meditating on it.

The valve check isn't that big of a deal, I learned on my old black honda and this ones easier but just a little different. I shoulda changed out the sparkplug while I was at it, but oh well next time.

My birfday was on sun day and it was cool, No surf because there was no good storms pushing thru, but me and Valentina took a ride early sunday morning, and then me and my family ate out a few times, took some nice beach strolls, and then me and Valentina also had a few more romps thru the city.

I got some cool gopro equipment that I guess my wife caught me looking at so now I got everything that I think I need to film some surfing and I also got a mic to work with my gopro hero 5 for moto filming. Then monday morning I rolled up my sleeves and got busy tearing her apart.

5 hours ago, basalt said:

Good stuff SD. 230 water temp is no problem. If you fan isn't coming on until 248 though something is wrong. EngineICE or the like is fine, but not really necessary with the fan. The bike will actually cool better with water and coolant until it boils, which it shouldn't.

Grew up riding Ocotillo and still try to get out there a couple times a year. Next time you are out there Stage at Shell Reef (about 30 minutes more in the truck). Great place for the kids to play around, bathrooms, jumps, and then you are closer to hit gas dome, pumpkin patch, and the canyons on the north side.

That thing is begging for you to open it up ;D

Yeah so I just decided that I had had enough of the factory fan switch connections, and it was time for them to go. So now they're soldered to the thermocouple, and my override switch is redundant of it working or not, but it seems to be coming on around 226 and turning off around 215 so thats cool for now. at least it works, and I've got a good reliable backup for it just in case.

occotillo wells rulz

I rediscovered seashell reef after not being there for about 13-14 years, heck maybe even 15 years. So this was really cool, and I think it would be a perfect place to camp and stage out of even when its crowded so that my family can see all the crazies doing their thing.

On this trip we were only out there for an afternoon, so we just staged at the first campsites off of pole line, I forgot the name but it was a nice place and it was completely empty cept for us. And this was cool for my beginner dirtbike family.

I think a ride out to gas dome and pumpkin patch would be a really good ride for my family to take together. but those canyons on the north side, aren't those the ones we used to call "disneyland for dirtbikes". I cant wait to go back there. next time for sure...

4 hours ago, Ben500RR-S said:

I'm looking forward to what you think of the suspension now that you had it modified.

On just a couple of city romps, I can already tell that it's wayy different. I sit higher, and it wheelies easier probably because of the stiffer rear end. I took it up and down a few sets of stairs and when going down theres already more control at the bottom. and jumping off of ledges is also a bit different. I still need more time romping her around to know how I feel about it. but it's different thats for sure.

I still need to make a trip away from suburban life, and out to some good ol' dirt to know how she's working properly. Maybe test on some whoops and some good ol' techno-gnarl. like this:

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yeah dude, the license plate got a bit of rock rash, so I had to modify it a little bit and get it out of harms way. I fixed it.

I'm still on the fence about a kickstart delete: I dont like the kickstarter anymore. I have e-start. The kickstarter looks dumb. The kicker gets in the way. It adds weight. But now, I can kick it over at will. I don't like being out in the boonies without a kicker. I dont like using the kicker as long as the e button works. but what if the e-button doesnt work. That would suck.

But heres a question to ponder: Would the kickstarter work if the e start doesnt? Will the bike run if the battery dies?

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But heres a question to ponder: Would the kickstarter work if the e start doesnt? Will the bike run if the battery dies?

I've left my light on and ran the battery down (always use the key to kill the engine) to where the engine will only think about turning over. I was able to kick-start the bike and after riding for a bit, the e-start was working again.

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@surfer-dude - this thread rocks, thanks for sharing. I dig the positivity. Keep it coming...

Here's a companion photo of a NorCal Beta, 390RR, indoors by a Roland kit:

I just noticed that those are the same V-drums that I have. same model anyways, I just used them last night to record a reggae groove for my homey, after we had a jam sesh yesterday and he was complaining that I would probably forget how it went. it's on my youtube channel temporarily just until I get back home and delete it. check it if you interested in hearing a little LB reggae stylee.

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My wife and kids and I were right in front of the big log on the back straight sec 105 row a seat 4-8, watching them and kyle redmond splating over it. very impressive as they were charging like a mofo. I got lots of good footage of practically all of the races on my go pro. lots of gnarly talent on that track last night.

I'm fairly new to riding dirt bikes after an almost 15 year hiatus, and so watching this kind of racing was the most exciting sport I have ever seen. It was completely action packed. endurocross is pretty cool to watch. I like it better than super cross or outdoor motocross nationals, and other types of racing that I have been to in the past.

The heat races were action packed as dudes gave it their all to make the main. The struggle was real.

The woman race was really cool to watch, because these young ladies were riding the same stuff as the men but doing it in a girly kind of way. The top 3 were really charging it. those are some gnarly girls, but in a good way. papa should be proud.

The bracket races were really fun to watch, after cody got stuffed in that corner during the heat race, he looked to be more aggressive, but in that same corner it looked like colton still showed him plenty of front wheel, and then right afterwards he cased the waterhole jump and it looked like it shock him up a bit. That was the end of that and colton won with a healthy lead.

The last race of the night was pretty action packed as cody and colton swapped the lead a few times, but in the end colton stuck his foot in cody's front wheel and took him out in the back rock section before the matrix and back straight.

He handled himself really good, and I think that Cody Webb seems like a really cool dude.

Cody even mentioned the foot in front wheel on the podium, but colton shrugged it off saying I had a broken toe i didn't do it on purpose... maybe he did it on purpose maybe he didn't, either way it happened and he got booed, again and again. I think he got booed every time he was on the podium, I think even tristan hart who placed 3rd got booed on accident because of him. unless something happened with him, that I didn't notice. but still in the very end, and after all of the boos, colton finally got his well earned applause.

Colton rides dirty, but thats cool, he even said "hey thats racing, may the best man win, and he did" lol what a dick! I like him and I think he's cool too. He's like the endurocross villain, and he's pretty awesome.

If cody quits being so nice and starts being more of a full contact racer like colton, the dudes gonna have his hands full fighting him off for the wins.

I like how the podium announcer chick, joked about cody being 7 foot tall, Those guys threw their machines around in ways that I wasn't expecting, and all of the guys that raced last night showed tremendous bike skills. It was really cool to see the pros do their thing, and the talented ams too...

Honorable mention to that dude spencer, who made the jump from the ams to the pro class. He rode nearly perfectly and made no mistakes except in the no joke section. He deserved it and I'm stoked for him.

It was a very cool night of spectating for me and my family. looking forward to the Ontario closer.

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So, surfer-dude, will the 125RR-S be getting any love on this thread any time soon?

Oh for sure for sure.

anything you want to know about.

Ive got some new clutch levers to swap out the broken one, and the air cleaner is gonna be switched from paper to foam and oil, and I'm probably also gonna do the db killer delete. and an oil change even though he doesnt need it. I think im also gonna give it a little suspension finagaling to try and lower it for my wife.

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You're pretty voluble about the coolness of your bike, and all the stuff you've done on it and to it, a veritable love affair, and deservedly so; but how does your lady relate to her new pony? Any blingification? Protection? You mentioned possible suspender mods. Is performance enough for her? (I'm guessing it is, since the suspension isn't dialed for her yet.) That's the kind off things guys want to know if they are considering a 125RR-S for their ladies.

I enjoyed your test rides on it. From what you observed, it seems like it is a real bike, and worthy of some love.

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You're pretty voluble about the coolness of your bike, and all the stuff you've done on it and to it, a veritable love affair, and deservedly so; but how does your lady relate to her new pony? Any blingification? Protection? You mentioned possible suspender mods. Is performance enough for her? (I'm guessing it is, since the suspension isn't dialed for her yet.) That's the kind off things guys want to know if they are considering a 125RR-S for their ladies.

I enjoyed your test rides on it. From what you observed, it seems like it is a real bike, and worthy of some love.

Well I think I know what I was not liking about my wifes bike, on my little test ride on it. The bike is not holding idle and it has a serious bog down low, Its so bad that any time you let off the throttle the bike dies, Even when riding around the block and in every gear. It will sit and idle if you engage the 2 different choke settings but not in the normal run mode. Also in the 2 choke settings If you twist the throttle at all it will die.I contacted the dealer about this and they told me to pull the carb off and spray carb cleaner all over it as its probably varnish from bad gas thats clogging the pilot jet.

I can not find any carb adjustment screws on it, so I really dont have much room to tweek on. They also told me that the reason for no carb adjustment screws is government regulation.

Seriously though, If any of yous guys has any ideas about this, let me know... I'm still a beginner and I dont know Skwatt about trouble shooting this bad idle problem that my wifes bike is having.

I contacted beta about this, because for some reason the info I got from the dealer doesnt sound right, considering the bike has 98 miles on it. It should hold idle, shouldnt it???

The bike is still bone stock, except earlier today I raised the forks in the triple clamps as high as possible, and I also took all of the preload off the shock too, So hopefully its "shorty girl bike approved". This is basically all the suspension work that its gonna get for now. Once we get it running correctly a skidplate is probably gonna be going on, alog with some handguards and new grips, and maybe some arc clutch levers if the dude has anything for me.

By the way I met the arc dude at the vegas endurocross, and he seems like a really cool dude, plus his shop is in Santa Ana down the street from the SCUBA dive shop that I frequent. So it looks like I'm gonna be using arc from now on, Although the dude bob morales from asv and I go wayyy back even more so who knows...

heres my morales bmx bike from the 90's. second gen morales flatland, I think he was the cat behind Dyno and Kore back in the day. I've owned at least 5 different morales' and various parts that hes signed and hooked me up with including asv stuff. so you know how it is with these things.

My lady is pretty bummed about her bike not working right, and this is definitely understandable. But I have reassured her that it will all work out, so she still loves her little Guiseppe bike. For her being a total beginner woman, the few rides that weve done have been completely exhilirating and so she's been happy with the beta 125 4 stroke performance. As for me I think I'd like to have a little more oomph out of my 500, so thats that. The beta 125 could still be crashed tho, I guess...

I've also been trying to give the little beta some love because I can see the potential of this bike, and the maintenance schedule is pretty scarce, everythings in thousands of miles, so thats really cool, compared to Valentinas heavy schedule. Once I figure out this idle issue, I can tell that this is gonna be a really cool bike. I might even try sneaking it out of the garage a bit more.

Edited August 27, 2017 by surfer-dude

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I've also been trying to give the little beta some love because I can see the potential of this bike, and the maintenance schedule is pretty scarce, everythings in thousands of miles, so thats really cool, compared to Valentinas heavy schedule. Once I figure out this idle issue, I can tell that this is gonna be a really cool bike. I might even try sneaking it out of the garage a bit more.

Dude,

On the Beta site, under Support is a downloadable parts catalog, and on pages 24 & 25 is a diagram and parts listing for the carb. According to the diagram, there is a pilot screw on the left side of the carb (Edit: part #12). Sometimes the smog nazis require the screw to be covered wth a plug.

The dealer is probably right about varnish and crap from bad gas, and it might require a new pilot jet to clear it up because, with the crap gas we pump these days, carb cleaner won't always do the job, although carb cleaner and compressed air together have a fighting chance (but you better be wearing protection, because carb cleaner is some bad xhit to get in your eyes, nose, mouth, lungs, or, hell, even on your skin).

Plonker

Edited August 28, 2017 by Old Plonker

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On the Beta site, under Support is a downloadable parts catalog, and on pages 24 & 25 is a diagram and parts listing for the carb. According to the diagram, there is a pilot screw on the left side of the carb (Edit: part #12). Sometimes the smog nazis require the screw to be covered wth a plug.

The dealer is probably right about varnish and crap from bad gas, and it might require a new pilot jet to clear it up because, with the crap gas we pump these days, carb cleaner won't always do the job, although carb cleaner and compressed air together have a fighting chance (but you better be wearing protection, because carb cleaner is some bad xhit to get in your eyes, nose, mouth, lungs, or, hell, even on your skin).

Plonker

dude plonker, you da mann. thanks...

Edited August 30, 2017 by surfer-dude

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So I sent beta an email saying what the 125's troubles are, and Tim's such a great dude that he approved the dealer to clean out the carb and check out the bike for us. He also says to use sta-bil in the gas to prevent this from happening again. so their working on that one now.

I am still having problems with my fan not working, it works if I turn on the switch that I installed but it doesnt come on automatically, so I took valentina in for warrantee work for this issue as well. But before I did, I took her over to the local church to jump up and down the front stairs. On the way there I noticed that she had a stutter happening at around the 3500-4000 rpm mark, so I thought hey maybe she's out of gas so I add a few bucks worth and proceed to go do some stair rides. Well wouldnt you know it, she sputtered and stalled on the first set as I pop my wheelie to clear them, we had a bit of momentum so we made it up the steps but I got a bit squirly. I was wearing vans slipons and no protective gear cept helmet and gloves, so I ended up with a good shinner, and a sprained wrist from the fiasco. So Yeah Maybe I did let these bikes sit too much, and the gas messed with em a bit. I will now religously do as Tim said, and add sta-bil to our fuel juggs. And I will also try to ride more too

So both bikes are in the shop getting warrantee work done.

It's time to ditch my bald front and rear tires. They were good tires and I've been happy with em but the rear is shredded and the front isnt doing that great either. I got about 850 miles on the set, So I need new tires front and rear. I'm having a rough time deciding which tires to run, I think I'm gonna quit riding this bike on the street so much and try and get her out to the desert more often. My buddies Harley shop cant get golden tyres, and mountain motorsports cant get em either. So I gotta go to the orange side over at OC ktm if I want em. I'm thinking about a fatty for the front and a 232 as the dude from goldentyre recomended or maybe a 523 is what I'm thinking, unless anyone has any good tire ideas for me. who knows watt I'm funna git. I used to always run dunlops on my honda, but times change, so I was thinking maybe shinko would be cool, or motoz, or mitas or something. Maybe some of you awsomely cool people could tell me about some good socal dez rubber.

It's kind of a bummer when your bikes in the shop, but it's cool. I guess tomorow we'll go do some fishing or something.

Stay safe and have fun this labor day weekend

My wife just showed up with a bottle of jim beam so she's on the sauce. maybe I'll put on my motocross pants and go walk around in front of her, lol

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Probably just stuff clogging a jet(s) on the 125's carburetor. It happens, whether it is from fueling up and from the sediment in either the fuel tank, or stuff from manufacturing . . . it just happens sometimes.

I had to breakdown a couple of sets of carburetors on my nephews bikes, one had the pilot jet so clogged, I had to buy a set of carb cleaning needles, tried carb cleaner, soaking in carb cleaner, burning the jet with a lighter, till finally, I was able to poke whatever was stuck in the jet, out. It was like a grain of sand and is all it takes.

At least you are under warranty and they will give you back a running bike.